


The Way It Should Be

by remslupin



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:47:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22471294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remslupin/pseuds/remslupin
Summary: Ben comes over at eight, which is incidentally Leslie’s peak brainstorming hour (for the evenings, at least). Like always, at first she’s concerned he’ll take up too much of her space. But, like always, he proves her wrong.
Relationships: Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt
Kudos: 64





	The Way It Should Be

**Author's Note:**

> oh my god, it's been over five years since i've published anything!? well, here's some fluffy ben/leslie for your troubles. i hope i can make your lil heart flutter like these two always do for me. enjoy, and any comments you have are much appreciated! thank you! x

Ben comes over at eight, which is incidentally Leslie’s peak brainstorming hour (for the evenings, at least). Like always, at first she’s concerned he’ll take up too much of her space. But, like always, he proves her wrong.

He brings a bottle of champagne and two containers full of waffles from JJ’s Diner. She tries not to poke fun and ask if he’s got any calzones hiding inside before she opens hers, but this is easy and she can’t help it. He rolls his eyes and shakes his head, muttering about the “calzone disrespect” overflowing in Pawnee, and it makes everything just that much better.

As they eat, Ben catches Leslie gawking at him out of the corner of his eye.

“Why are you staring at me?” he asks, eyeing Leslie carefully as she stuffs a piece of waffle into her mouth and watches him. “Hello? Earth to Leslie?”

It would be so easy to say, “I love you. I love the way you say my name. I love the way you brought me JJ’s without even asking.” But she figures she’ll save that for later. For a time when things aren’t so hectic and their jobs aren’t on the line.

“You’re just cute,” she says, instead, blinking finally and turning away from him. It’s crazy, she thinks, how you can know someone for so long and yet still get butterflies.

Ben blinks and then smiles his typical goofy smile. “Oh. Well, so are you. Very cute.”

They finish their waffles (“AMAZING! JJ, you did it again!”) and then start the movie. It had been a fight between Harry Potter and Star Wars, but Leslie finally managed to convince Ben to give wizards a try. 

Ben spreads out along the couch, and Leslie finds her usual spot with her head against his chest. He runs his fingers through her hair as the movie plays, and soon enough Leslie finds herself not paying much attention to the screen. Her focus is shifting between Ben’s hands and his crotch, which is conveniently placed right at her hip.

She’s just about to swivel around when Ben picks her up in his arms and places a soft kiss to her lips. It takes her aback, like always, and she stares up at him. 

“You,” she says breathlessly, “are becoming infamous for that.”

“For what?” he asks innocently, kissing her again. This time, he uses his left hand to hold her close and his right to cradle her cheek. 

And it’s wonderful. Because it’s Ben, and Leslie, and that’s all there needs to be. No elaborate dates or romantic gestures - just the two of them, curled up together on the couch, holding the other while they kiss and a nerdy movie plays in the background.

Ben pulls away and gives her a wide, toothy grin. She tells the butterflies in her stomach to calm down, then smiles back up at him. He returns it with another kiss, this one long and deep and passionate. She hums against his lips and they both smile, knocking their teeth into each other. Ben starts laughing while Leslie covers her eyes. It’s all too perfect. It almost doesn’t feel real.

But it is. Ben takes her hand and leads her to her bedroom, something she’s grown used to. His eyes are on her and twinkling the whole time. It takes everything in her not to skip after him. Once he shuts the door behind them, she melts into him. 

The rest of the night, she can’t help but think that this all makes sense.


End file.
